Not all of us are lucky enough to have a wine cellar within our homes to store bottles at the perfect temperature, humidity, and darkness. Most of us don’t casually reach for a $70 bottle of wine. A Napa Valley-based company called Underground Cellar is looking to change that. Through its e-commerce platform, users can virtually store up to 500 bottles and receive free upgrades to more expensive bottles of wine.
The Shark Tank-backed platform has existed for about five years, and in June 2021, the company raised $12.5 million in funding. Underground Cellar recently reached out to me and offered site credit to test out its platform. As someone that typically only buys a $10 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Trader Joe’s, I was excited to give it a try.
Every day, the Underground Cellar’s platform features different wineries, regions, or varietals. A bottle price is listed for each select deal, and the minimum purchase number is three bottles per order. However, most of them are upgraded to more expensive bottles after you purchase wine, but the user still pays the lowest price listed. On top of this, every deal includes a “top upgrade,” which means you have the chance of receiving a rare or expensive bottle of wine.
I ordered three bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, and each bottle cost $35. I did not know exactly what brands or vintages I would be receiving until after I placed the order. I actually ended up with bottles of wine valued at $45, $60, and $85. Two of my bottles were ready to ship right away, and the one took about a week to become available. The bottles are stored in my “CloudCellar,” which means that Underground Cellar is storing them in its Napa Valley facilities until I am ready to ship the wine to my house.
Other platforms that sell and recommend wine exist, like Vivino and Winc. However, Underground Cellar’s gamification feature sets it apart from the other sites. Buying wine on the platform feels like a safer, tannin-infused version of gambling. As the user, you know you will at least get a bottle worth what you paid for. The chance of getting upgraded to something like a 1975 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (worth $2,000) is what keeps the user hooked and coming back for more deals.
I liked the platform because it forced me to try completely new wines that I normally would not have reached for in-stores. As a 25-year-old millennial on a tight budget, I would never spend $85 on a bottle of wine, but I was given this opportunity with the upgrade technology. I definitely don’t have a wine cellar, and I liked knowing that my bottles of wine were being stored in perfect conditions.
On the flip side, some people might not like that they cannot choose exactly what wine they want. On top of this, most bottles on the platform start at around $30-$35 (except for the occasional $20 blowout deals). Certain people, like myself, typically stick to the $5-$20 range when it comes to buying wine. Shipping is a bit pricey, costing $21 for ground shipping for three bottles of wine. To receive free shipping, 12 bottles must be shipped together.
Overall, I found Underground Cellar to be a neat platform I would recommend to my wine-loving friends. Since its recent funding round, the company has been growing its team, improving its gamification tech, and making more connections with wineries.
